MINOR OPERATIONS
6 Mosquitoes to Pforzheim and 5 to Heilbronn, 4 R.C.M. sorties, 36 Mosquito patrols, 47 Lancasters and 31 Halifaxes minelaying off Oslo and in the Kattegat, 15 aircraft on Resistance operations. 4 aircraft were lost: 1 Mosquito from the Heilbronn raid and 2 Lancasters and 1 Halifax from the minelaying operations.
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WILHELMSHAVEN
227 Lancasters and 1 Mosquito of 5 Group attempted to bomb Wilhelmshaven through 10/10ths cloud. Marking and bombing were all based on H2S and the raid appeared to be scattered. 18 Lancasters did not join in the main attack but bombed a group of ships seen through a break in the cloud over the sea. Wilhelmshaven's diary only states that 12 people died. 1 Lancaster lost.
Minor Operations: 5 R.C.M. sorties, 5 aircraft on Resistance operations. No losses.
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SAARBRCKEN
531 Lancasters and 20 Mosquitoes of 1, 3 and 8 Groups on the first major R.A.F. raid to this target since September 1942. 3 Lancasters lost.
The raid was made at the request of the American Third Army which was advancing in this direction; the intention was to cut the railways and block supply routes generally through the town. The bombing was accurate and severe damage was caused in the main town area north of the River Saar, the area through which the main railway lines ran. Damage was particularly severe in the Altstadt and Malstatt districts. 5,882 houses were destroyed and 1,141 were seriously damaged. 344 people were killed, a figure which suggests that much of the population may have been evacuated from this town, which was situated right on the Siegfried Line.
Minor Operations: 20 Mosquitoes to Berlin and 26 to 5 other German targets, 36 R.C.M. sorties, 47 Mosquito patrols, 10 Halifaxes minelaying off Heligoland and 9 Mosquitoes of 8 Group minelaying in the Kiel Canal. No aircraft lost.
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and flew Lancasters from Tuddenham and Stradishall until the end of the war.
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE
Raids Flown
Lancasters - 96 bombing, 2 minelaying
Sorties and Losses
Lancasters - 1,254 sorties, 8 aircraft lost (0.6 percent). 4 aircraft destroyed in crashes.
189 SQUADRON
SERVICE
Formed in 5 Group on
